In the News: ‘Bill Gates buys equestrian estate in Florida for $8.7 million’

That’s a headline from Forbes magazine about the Microsoft founder’s acquisition of a Wellington horse farm for daughter Jennifer, a show jumper.

According to the story,

The home Gates just purchased in Wellington is reportedly a residence he and his family rented last year in January while his teenage daughter competed in the Winter Equestrian Festival. Built in 2010, the estate has four beds and four baths with a 7,234-square-foot, open floor plan. Horse-friendly features like a 20-stall barn and show-jumping arena were likely part of Gates’ decision to buy the home.

The farm is in the Mallet Hill section of Palm Beach Polo.

See more photos of the home here.

Gates has spent about $1.1 million renting homes in the area in recent years while Jennifer competes, according to South Florida Business Journal.

The family’s primary residence is a 50,050-square foot home on Lake Washington, about eight miles east of Seattle. Earlier this year Forbes ranked Gates the #2 wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $67 billion.

According to Gossip Extra, Gates’ new neighbors include New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; former L.A. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt; Sulhail Rizvi, a private equity banker whose firm owns the rights to The Twilight Saga; and Stuart Roffman, the entrepreneur owner of mega-yacht Lion Share.

But enough about real estate. What about Jennifer and her horses?

Photo: Flynetpictures.co.uk

Jennifer, the eldest of Bill and Melinda Gates’ three children, looks to be a talented young rider. She trains with Jack Towell of Finally Farm.

Here’s a video of her and horse River Bird in the $10000 Maria Mendelsohn Low Jr. Classic II at WEF earlier this year. She had the last rail down in the jump-off to finish 10th out of 70. River Bird, an Irish Sport Horse by Cruising, competed through the Grand Prix level with John French.

Of course, the “billionaire’s daughter” image is hard to shake.

Last year Jennifer was featured in this cover story of Town & Country magazine:

Go Jennifer!

A big thanks to reader Helene Gallagher for the tip.